Cleaner for wind-shields.



(I. W. J. THIEBAUTH.

CLEANER FOR WIND SHIELDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14. m1.

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

CHARLES W. J. THIEBAUTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Isa. a. rare.

' Application filed February 14, 1917. Serial No. 148,659.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. J. TinnnAU'ru, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaners for Wind- Shields, of which the following is a speeification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cleaning devices for the wind-shields of automobiles and other vehicles and pertains more particularly to improvements in that class of cleaning devices adapted for insertion between the adjoining edges of the sections of a windshield and engageable with the front side of the shield, and having means upon the rear side thereof for manipulating the cleaner. I I

The present inventionhas for its objects among others to provide a simple andcheap construction of this general character capable of ready application to the windshield without the necessity of opening either section thereof, and having provisian forladjustment when necessary to bring the cleaning portion thereof into more or less close relation with the wind-shield.

I aim further at improvements in the construction of the device whereby i't is rendercdmuch cheaper and stronger and capable'of manufacture at small cost.

Gther objects and advantages of the in vention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a wind-shield provided with my improved cleauing device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direc tion of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device removed from the wind-shield.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a detail in elevation showing the blank from which the holder is constructed.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6--.6

of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig.7 is a perspective view of one of the holding blocks constituting the handle.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

'1 designates the upper section and 2 the lower section of a wind-shield of known construction and 3 the slot or space between the adjacent edges of said sections, as is common in wind-shields as generally used upon automobiles.

My improved cleaning device is applicable to the outer faces of these wind-shield sections which are of glass or transparent plates mounted in suitable frames and the device is so constructed as to be applied without the necessity of moving either of the sections upon its hinge.

Generally speaking, the cleaner comprises a holder 4: which, while it may be formed in a variety of ways, is preferably formed as follows: I take a blank 5 of sheet metal of proper dimensions and form at opposite edges thereof at substantially its midlength, as seen in Fig. 5, slots 6. 7 is a horizontal plate formed with substantially parallel slots 8, one adjacent each edge thereof, and

this plate is disposed opposite said slots 6 and the blank 5 then. bent by any suitable tools or machinery so as to form a substantially U-shaped portion, as seen best in Fig. 4, the inner end of the plate 7 being engaged against the portion of the blank 5 between the slots and then clamped between the bent portions 9 thereof, as seen in Fig. 6, and welded thereto, if necessary. This forms a cheap and cflicient, yet most durable means of connecting the plate 7 to the holder.

Between the side members 10 of the substantially U-shaped holder is clamped a cleaning strip 11 which may be of rubber, felt or any other suitable or desirable yieldin material, the said strip corresponding su stantially in length to the holder.

12 are blocks of suitable material. for instance wood, adapted to embrace the plate 7 and to be secured thereto in any suitable manner. In the present instance, I have shown the securing means as composed of thebolts 13, the heads 14 of which are preferably seated in sockets or depressions 15 in theunder side of one block, the said bolts passing through the slots 8 and receiving thumb nuts or the like 16 upon their other ends. It is evident that the bolts and thumb nuts may be reversed, the sockets being in the upper block and the thumb nuts upon the under side,

The blocks serve as means for manipuating the cleaner and in order to furnish a better grip or hand-hold, I provide each block with a longitudinal groove or depression 17, as seen clearly in Fig. 2.

The device is applied as followsz-The plate or shank 7 is passed through the slot from the outside inward, so that the strip 11 will bear against the outer face of the sections 1 and 2 of the windshield upon 0 posite sides of the slot. The blocks are t en placed one upon each side of the plate 7 the bolts placed in position through the slots 8 of the plate 7 and through suitable holes 18 in the blocks and then the thumb nuts 16 are applied and the late clamped between the b ocks. faces which bear against the inner faces of the sections 1 and 2 of the wind-shield and the 1plate 7 is of material dimensions, as seen 1n i 1g. 4, so as to hold the stri 11 in parallel relation with the outer aces of the said sections and the blocks further form a handle by which the device may be moved back and forth to remove the rain or snow from the outer surface of the wind-shield sections By loosening the thumb nuts, the blocks may be moved nearer to or farther from the inner face of the wind-shield sections so as to cause the strip 11 to bear with greater or less force against the outer surface of the sections, as conditions may require.

In the manipulation of the device, the blocks12 are maintained in parallel relation with the inner faces of the wind-shield sections and the strip 11 parallel with the outer faces thereof.

The bloc {5 have broad neeaaee lln order to prevent squealing as the cleaner is moved along over the glass the faces of the blocks next to the glass may be provided with felt or the like.

Modifications in details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advanta es.

at is claimed as new is:

1. A cleaner for a sectional. wind-shield, comprising a stripof cleaning material arranged at the adjoining edges of the sections of the wind-shield and engageable with the front side thereof, a shank extensible between the adjoining edges of the sections of the wind-shield and detachablemeans adjustably clamped to opposite sides of and embracing said shank upon the op-'- posite side of the wind-shield.

2. A cleaner for a sectional windshield, comprising a holder, a plate extended at right angles thereto for insertion between the adjoining edges of the sections of the wind-shield, a yieldable strip of cleaning material carried by said holder, and blocks clamped upon opposite sides of said plate and serving as a handle for the manipulation of the cleaner and a guide therefor, said blocks being adjustable to and from the holder,

3. A cleaner for a sectional wind-shield, comprising a holder, a yieldable strip of cleaning material carried thereby, a plate rigid with said holder and insertible between the adjoining edges of the sections of the wind-shield, said plate being longitudinally slotted, blocks upon opposite sides of said plate, and bolts passed through said blocks and the slots of the plate and having means for clamping the blocks upon the plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES W. J. THIEBAUTH. 

